'Tis the season for holiday-themed events for kids, teens, and adults!
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FOR ALL AGES OR FAMILIES
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jr.: Spotlight Youth Theatre. Read and sing along as the cast of this holiday favorite performs excerpts from their upcoming show, including "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas." This performance features all of your favorite characters, including Santa and Mrs. Claus, Hermey the Elf, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, Clarice, Yukon Cornelius and, of course, Rudolph.
Saturday, November 25, 11 AM-12 PM. Foothills Library Roadrunner Room.
What Do the Holidays Mean to You? Stop by and share your love of the festive season with us! Decorate a paper symbol of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa to show what the holidays mean to you or express a holiday wish. Give the symbol to our staff so we can decorate an area of each library with everyone's holiday cheer. All ages are welcome to participate!
Monday, November 27, 2023 through Friday, January 5, 2024. All Glendale Public Library locations.
Live @ the Library: GCC Choirs Holiday Concert. Hear wintertide favorites — some with new settings — and collaborative pieces with trumpet and brass. Spanning music from the medieval to the modern, this concert is sure to warm your heart and lift your spirits.
Thursday, November 30, 6:30-7:30 PM. Main Library Auditorium.
Holiday Concert Performed by Big Band Grandstand. Enjoy a special performance of swinging popular standards and holiday favorites!
Monday, December 4, 6-7:30 PM. Foothills Library Roadrunner Room.
Winter Painting Evening. Start your winter off with a fun painting project! We will follow instructions online with Step-by-Step Painting with Tracie Kiernan. Open to adults, teens, and kids ages 10 and up! Registration is required and space is limited.
Monday, December 4, 6-8 PM. Foothills Library Hummingbird Room.
Register for Winter Painting Evening
Live @ the Library: A Very Driftwood Christmas. Kick off the holidays with the Driftwood Quintet as they present a holiday performance for the whole family, showcasing Christmas classics along with music in honor of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. Driftwood will also be joined by a jazz rhythm trio to close the night with a special performance of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s jazz-fueled reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. This concert is funded by a City of Glendale Performing Arts Grant.
Thursday, December 7, 6:30-7:30 PM. Main Library Auditorium.
Great Arizona Puppet Theater Presents: The Selfish Elf. Get in the holiday spirit with this fun, live Christmas puppet show about an elf who is selfish, but then learns the spirit of giving. This program is provided by the Deer Valley Family Resource Center. Seating is first come, first served until the room reaches capacity.
Saturday, December 9, 10:30-11:30 AM. Foothills Library Roadrunner Room.
Live @ the Library: Women in Song Present "A Holiday Kaleidoscope." Celebrate the season and listen to holiday favorites sung by ProMusica Arizona's Women in Song. Selections include "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Winter Wonderland," "Silent Night," "The First Noel" and more! This hand-selected women's ensemble sings in four-part harmony with Jeff Yoder's masterful playing and improvisation at the keyboard and ProMusica's Artistic Director, Patti Graetz, conducting. This concert is funded by a City of Glendale Performing Arts Grant.
Monday, December 11, 6:30-7:30 PM. Main Library Auditorium.
Main Library Coffeehouse: Holiday Concert. This month, numerous local musicians take the stage to entertain the audience with sing-along holiday favorites. Bring the family and enjoy the show!
Thursday, December 14, 6:30-7:30 PM. Main Library Auditorium.
Family Fun Project: Winter Painting! Drop in to enjoy winter and holiday-themed free painting for all ages. We have paint, brushes, canvases, glitter, and all the materials you need to make your seasonal art experience unforgettable!
Saturday, December 16, 1-2:30 PM. Heroes Regional Park Library Yucca Room.
FOR KIDS
Crafty Kids: Snowy Reindeer. 'Tis the season for reindeer crafts! Kids aged 5-12 are invited to create a snow-covered reindeer that's sure to be a holiday hit! Children under five may attend with a grownup helper. First come, first served.
Thursday, November 30, 4-5 PM. Main Library Storytime Room.
*Winter STEAM Wonders! Brrrrrrrrrrr! When it's cold out, how do animals (and people) stay warm? What makes a snowflake? How far can you launch a snowball? Ms. Meghan's STEAM storytime, intended for children aged 3-8, will explore the science behind the snow! Registration is required.
Thursday, December 14, 10:30-11:30 AM. Foothills Library Youth Patio.
Register for Winter STEAM Wonders
*Make a Stuffed Polar Animal. Sewing is a life skill full of STEAM concepts, such as math, engineering, art, and creativity. Learn about the basics of sewing while creating a super-simple, stuffed polar animal as a take-home furry friend! Ages 5-11.
Thursday, December 14, 4-5 PM. Main Library Storytime Room.
*Holiday Engineering Challenge! Participants aged 5-12 will be tasked with creating winter-themed designs using only toothpicks and marshmallows. Have a little holiday fun while putting your creativity and engineering skills to the test!
Thursday, December 14, 6:30-7:30 PM. Velma Teague Library Meeting Room.
FOR TEENS
Wood Bead Snowpal. No snow in Glendale? No problem! Make a wood bead snowpal along with accessories for it to wear! All materials will be provided. Ages 12-18.
Throughout December. Velma Teague Library Teen Zone.
Teen Venture: Sock Snowman. Bring a touch of frosty magic to life as your imagination transforms socks and everyday items into adorable, cozy, soft snowmen! Ages 12-18. Registration is required.
Sunday, December 3, 2-3 PM. Heroes Regional Park Library Yucca Room.
Register for Teen Venture: Sock Snowman
*Teen STEAM Lab: Winter Slime. Concoct mesmerizing winter-themed slime from ordinary glue, adding a touch of icy enchantment to the world of science and art. Registration is limited to the first 25 teens, ages 12-18.
Thursday, December 14, 5:30-7 PM. Heroes Regional Park Library Yucca Room.
Register for Teen STEAM Lab: Winter Slime
FOR ADULTS
Feeding Birds in the Winter. Learn how to attract and feed different kinds of birds in your backyard during the cold season, including the types of food, feeders, and shelters that birds need to survive and thrive in winter. You will also discover the benefits of feeding birds for your own well-being and the environment. Hosted by Karen LaFrance, Co-Chair and Coordinator of the Glendale-based Sonoran Audubon Society. Registration is required.
Tuesday, November 7, 1-2:30 PM. Heroes Regional Park Library Yucca Room.
Register for Feeding Birds in the Winter
Make a Holiday Zipper Pouch. 'Tis the season for DIY fun! Decorate a zipper pouch with holiday-themed images using the Cricut machine. This could be a lovely makeup bag for yourself or a gift for a friend. We'll supply all the materials, so all you need to bring is the enthusiasm! Please register for only one session.
Thursday, November 16, 1-2:30 PM (Session 1) OR 3-4:30 PM (Session 2). Heroes Regional Park Library Yucca Room.
Register for Make a Holiday Zipper Pouch (Session 1)
Register for Make a Holiday Zipper Pouch (Session 2)
* Arts and Crafts Corner: Soldered Holiday Ornament. Learn how to do simple soldering in order to create a holiday ornament with blinking red, blue, and green LED lights. You will learn simple techniques to attach resistors, a button, a capacitor, circuit boards, LEDs, sockets and ATTiny 85 ICs. CR 2032 batteries are included. All parts of the kit will be provided, as well as a soldering iron, wire cutters, solder, flux paste, cleaner, and detailed instructions. You must bring your own mask and goggles; soldering can be dangerous without them, and you will not be permitted to participate without the required safety equipment. Please register for only one of the two available sessions.
Saturday, November 18, 12-1:30 PM (Session 1) or 2:30-4 PM (Session 2). Velma Teague Library Meeting Room.
Register for Arts and Crafts Corner: Soldered Holiday Ornament (Session 1)
Register for Arts and Crafts Corner: Soldered Holiday Ornament (Session 2)
Artistry Workshop: Salt Shaker Snowman. Who would have thought a simple salt shaker could be transformed into a snowman? Share some smiles as we create this magical little decoration to keep or give to a friend! For adults 18 and up. Registration is required.
Monday, December 4, 6-7:30 PM. Main Library Large Meeting Room.
Register for Artistry Workshop: Salt Shaker Snowman
*Sew a Holiday Table Runner. Have fun making table runners and glamming them up while learning fundamental straight stitching skills. Sewing machines and materials will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own sewing machine if you have one. Please note that you must already know the basics of using a sewing machine. Please register for only one of the two available sessions.
Thursday, December 7, 1-3 PM (Session 1) or 6-7:30 PM (Session 2). Heroes Regional Park Library Yucca Room.
Register for Sew a Holiday Table Runner (Session 1)
Register for Sew a Holiday Table Runner (Session 2)
Container Gardening in the Winter. This is a is a delightful way to continue nurturing your green thumb even when the frosty winds of winter are in full force. Using our outdoor containers, Master Gardener Pam Perry will show you how to care for plants that do well outdoors in winter, including various herbs for healthy natural living. This innovative gardening approach transforms outdoor spaces, balconies, and patios into winter wonderlands, where nature's beauty can still thrive amidst the cold. Registration is required.
Saturday, December 9, 2-3:30 PM. Heroes Regional Park Library Yucca Room.
Register for Container Gardening in the Winter
*Winter 3D Printer Class. Have you seen our new 3D printers? This fun and interactive class will provide you with a crash course in 3D printing, so you can learn how to create a winter cookie cutter! Registration is required.
Wednesday, December 13, 2-4 PM. Foothills Library Hummingbird Room.
Register for Winter 3D Printer Class
*Full Steam Ahead: This project is supported by the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.